How to put together a perfect “Friendsmas”

Do people still say “Friendsmas” these days? Well, excuse me if we don’t, because its relevance is felt more and more deeply as the years go by and as we grow up. Sure, I love my family as much as anyone out there, but sometimes it’s nice to step away from them and enjoy the big days with my friends (read: chosen fam) instead. One of the best, most memorable Christmases I have ever had was spent with my close friend Nabo– we feasted on enough for a family of five, drank our fair fill of bubbly, watched cartoons, and took a long walk around the neighbourhood admiring people’s gardens.

What worked about our dynamic that day was that we weren’t both in the kitchen bumping elbows trying to cook. Nabo’s job was to keep our glasses full and keep the gossip and jokes coming, while I cooked. If you’re looking for a big-batch drink, try my French 75 punch bow – it’s so refreshing and one of my favourite holiday tipples!

French 75 punch recipe here

But if you are going to put together a larger gathering than Christmas for two, you’ll need to do a bit of planning ahead… so, here are a few tips for the best Friendsmas ever.

Who’s hosting? The Friendsmas setting

Obviously, whoever has the biggest yard, or a pool, would be the person whose house we’ll convene at. Right? Just remember – if a friend offers up their space, behave yourself! Help with the clean-up at the end and help them leave the place decent enough to wake up to the next day. And make sure they have some leftovers to wake up with, too. Do you eat leftovers as they are? Or do you like to reinvent them into something cool? If the latter is true for you, here’s a guide on pepping them up into some awesome leftover-themed sandwiches.

Alternatively, a picnic is a wonderful way to celebrate Christmas – there’s something to be said about eating outside on big days. Find your favourite park (for me, it’s Kirstenbosch Gardens when there ISN’T a concert on) and ask everyone to bring a dish, some blankets to sit on, and plenty to drink. I have the perfect picnic menu for you, everything here is super-light and easy to prepare – take your pick of the recipes that speak to you.

The main event: a Friendsmas feast

If it’s a bring-and-share effort, what’s everyone going to bring? This needs to be well organised to make sure there aren’t any repeats – imagine two gammons and no other roasts? Eek. Drawing recipes out of a hat could be cool. Whoever gets “potatoes” can prepare them any way they please: roasted in duck fat, squashed and fried in a pan, or tossed with mayonnaise to make a salad. Here’s a cool idea for a potato salad that’ll have your friends swooning.

Potato salad with granola sprinkle recipe here

Remind any friends searching for recipe info that TASTE has a huge range of fabulous festive recipes to choose from. In fact, we have so many, we created a special Christmas hub.

And another thing: many of us are doing this on a budget – I don’t think Christmas has to suck for that reason. I have an amazing menu-slash-guide for the penny-pinchers, check it out over here.

The thought of a braai might get your eyes rolling, but it’s such a popular choice because it works so well. The social aspect of the fire gets people gathered around it, telling jokes and stealing little pieces of meat straight off the grid. Luckily there won’t be any parents to smack your hand away! Etiquette note: be considerate of your plant-based pals and braai their food before throwing on the meat. Speaking of – I have this fabulous recipe for teriyaki mushrooms that are perfect for the braai.

Grilled teriyaki mushrooms recipe here

The final touches: festive Friendsmas trimmings

Is it really Christmas without gifts? I think not. Before the party, get your group together for a secret Santa draw: pick names out of a hat and keep the gifts relatively affordable. A budget is usually set, and I think anything between R150 and R200 is fair and chilled. For reference, I’m writing this in 2024! Things might change next year! I also love collective Christmas stockings; if there are ten of you, each person can buy nine small items to stuff into everyone’s stockings. Everyone will leave with a respectable amount of loot!

Is it really Christmas without gifts? I think not. Before the party, get your group together for a secret Santa draw: pick names out of a hat and keep the gifts relatively affordable. A budget is usually set, and I think anything between R150 and R200 is fair and chilled. For reference, I’m writing this in 2024! Things might change next year! I also love collective Christmas stockings; if there are ten of you, each person can buy nine small items to stuff into everyone’s stockings. Everyone will leave with a respectable amount of loot!

Lastly, the dress code. Are your people the type of crew to dress according to a theme? If yes, set a fun theme that everyone can agree on. It would also be cool if the theme filtered into the menu, too. I personally think that the festive decor should be up to the host, but it’s okay if friends want to help. I found a cool guide for decorating the house with a modern touch – check it out here.

Get (even more) social: tag your Friendsmas celebration on Insta with #TASTEFriendsmas to share your festive-season inspiration.